N(N-1)/2 – Formula for Number of Communication Channels

N(N-1)/2 is the formula to calculate the number of communication channels on a project where N=the number of team members/stakeholders on a project. (my apologies to tonight’s class, this is the correct formula) This is frequently a test question for certification. I have attached a great article about this topic below. What it means to project managers is that the larger the project team, the greater the complexity and the more time spent communicating. As Jeff says in his article, “lack of communication” or “mis-communication” is frequently cited as an issue in lessons learned, so spend the time to determine what information everyone on the project needs, how often they need it and the best way to get the information to them. Check with the team and stakeholders regularly for feedback on how communication is going and how communication can be improved. Communication is the key to optimal project performance.